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Minister for Home Affairs
19-21 Broad Street | St Helier Jersey | JE2 3RR
Deputy Rob Ward
Chair
Children, Education and Home Affairs Panel Via email
3 December 2021 Dear Chair
Authorisation of Deployment and Use of Energy Conductive Devices (Tasers') by the States of Jersey Police
I write to you regarding the deployment and use of Tasers by the States of Jersey Police (SOJP), further to the debate on P.97/2020 last year and the Panel's very well conducted Review.
As you will recall, at that time the Assembly voted in favour of the Minister's proposition, as amended by two amendments lodged by the Panel. The effect of the Panel's first amendment, which the Minister of the time was pleased to accept, was that SOJP were authorised to conduct a 1-year trial period of the proposed deployment model. After which time the Minister was requested to return to the States having reviewed the impact of the changes after the trial period, and to present specific data regarding the trial period to the Assembly.
I am now pleased to have reviewed data from the trial period and am satisfied that it was conducted successfully. Accordingly, I now propose to return to the Assembly and seek their endorsement for the continuation of these arrangements.
I enclose a draft of my Proposition, as well as a report from SOJP which will be included as an appendix. Before lodging, I wished to bring a matter to your attention.
You will likely recall that the Panel's amendment to P.97/2020 specified a 1 year trial period. However, it also stipulated that the new arrangements for Taser deployment could not continue beyond 1 year without the prior approval of the States Assembly.
Due to the need to deliver required training, and implement new procedures, the trial period commenced on 1st March 2021. I am therefore bringing this back to the Assembly short of the 1 year mark, to avoid the operational disruption to SOJP of having to temporarily revert to the previous arrangements.
Due to the wording of the amendment, which we did not recognise at the time, finishing the trial early would have been necessary in any event to prevent this disruption. However, it is particularly difficult this year when one factors in the pre-election deadline for lodging and the lack of sittings in 2022.
Had the trial run until March 2021, this matter would not have been able to be considered by this Assembly. My view is that this Assembly, and in particular your Panel, gave this matter a great deal of serious consideration, and should be given the opportunity to consider this again as requested.
I have endeavoured to be as transparent about this as possible within the Proposition and write to you in that spirit. I hope you will understand my position.
If you would like to discuss this, or have any queries I could assist with, I am at your disposal. Yours sincerely
Deputy Gregory Guida Minister for Home Affairs